by Mark Hodges
The meetings of the BBFI this year will center on the theme of “Revival.” If we are really serious about having revival this year, I believe that there are some questions that we need to ask.
Are we satisfied with the condition of our church? What is our own personal spiritual state and condition? Are we like the Laodiceans who said they were rich in their abundance, and that all was well with them when they failed to realize that they were poor, wretched, and blind?
The word revival really means to live again. Revival is an experience that can only happen to God’s children. Lost people cannot be revived because lost people do not have life. You can only revive life where life has been. We need a revival today. We all know it. And God wants to give it.
Revival is the sovereign, supernatural movement of God among his people that comes about as a direct result of their prayer, repentance, and holiness, all of which results in a fresh walk with the Lord. To put it simply, it is the manifested presence of God. God is omnipresent, meaning that He’s always present. But His manifested presence is when He shows up personally and powerfully.
Zechariah 10:1 “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.” I believe Zechariah is referring in part to literal rain. But I think he also is speaking of spiritual blessings outpoured on the people of God. God’s outpoured blessing is likened to the rain. God says to ask for rain in the time of the latter rain. Oh, how we need it today! We are to ask for His showers of blessing to come down upon us.
We are to ask for revival. We read about the showers of blessing in the prophecy of Ezekiel, the time when the spirit of God sweeps over the land and souls come to the Lord, and the Lord’s presence becomes so very real. When that happens, people are convicted and give up their sins and walk with the Lord. The fear of the Lord comes back. Then Bible reading becomes popular and prayer becomes paramount. Family altars will once again be set up; prayer rooms will be in use as God’s people have a burning desire to call upon the Lord! Charles Finney said, “Revival is a new beginning of obedience to God.”
Can we honestly say that we rejoice in the Lord Jesus with “a joy unspeakable and full of glory”? Can we say with Paul that to us “to live is Christ, and to die is gain”? May God give us grace to examine and be honest with ourselves. E. M. Bounds said, “It is not great talents or great learning or great preachers that God needs, but men great in holiness.”